A Netflix spokesperson says that the streaming service has been investing in Dutch productions for some time. Examples include the hit series Undercover and the subsequent film Ferry, but also the action film The Takeover and the romantic comedy Happy Ending. “For all these productions, we work together with Dutch, independent producers,” says the Netflix spokesperson.

The US streaming service expects to announce more local content later this year, but has not yet released any details.

Kaja Wolffers, Head of Content & Programming Benelux at Amazon Prime Video, says the streaming service has been investing in Dutch content “since the beginning”. “The film De Oost by director Jim Taihuttu is a good example of this. Our customers want to see faces and places that are familiar and close by. We want to continue to respond to that desire of our customers.”

“We invest substantially in local productions and we do this regardless of the legislation,” Wolffers continues. “We have been doing this since our launch. At that time, this investment legislation did not yet exist. At Prime Video, we strongly believe in the power of local content for a local audience. We want to bring fiction and non-fiction programs that reflect the diversity, dynamics and culture of our audience. That is why we work with Dutch producers, directors and talent, so that we ensure that our offer matches the diverse needs of the audience.”

The third major foreign player in the Netherlands, Disney+, says it does everything according to local legislation. “We stick to that 5 percent, we stick to that anyway,” says a spokesperson for the streaming service. She cannot say exactly how much Disney+ invests in Dutch content. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video also do not make any statements about this.

Disney+ also says that it has always invested in local content since its arrival in the Netherlands. One of the big local productions that the streaming service is looking forward to is the drama series Nemesis, which will be released in mid-October. Disney+’s first Dutch drama series is based on the book of the same name by Simon de Waal and is about a public prosecutor who, together with a detective from the FIOD, follows money flows and criminal settlements. “That will really be a big deal for us.”